Seoul's Jung-gu office announced that it will implement "special safety management for multiple crowds" starting tomorrow until November 1 to prevent accidents caused by large crowds gathering in the Myeong-dong area during the Halloween period.

To this end, an "on-site comprehensive situation room" will be established on the 5th floor of Myeongdong M Plaza to oversee safety responses.

A total of 912 personnel—including 54 from the Jung-gu office, 698 police officers, 60 firefighters, and 100 safety management personnel—will be deployed to the Myeong-dong site to patrol major densely populated sections.

Real-time monitoring will be conducted using 38 intelligent CCTVs installed across 18 locations, and congestion information and detour routes will be provided through electronic crowd density notification boards at 10 major points.

If the crowd density rises to "caution" (3 to 4 people/㎡) or higher, the Myeongdong 10-gil section (from Exit 8 of Myeong-dong Station toward Olive Young) and Namdaemun-ro (from Noon Square to the Central Post Office) will be designated as one-way pedestrian routes, and vehicle access will be controlled in front of Sunshine Building and Exit 8 of Myeong-dong Station.

To prepare for emergencies, emergency vehicle routes for fire engines and other vehicles will be secured from Euljiro 1-ga Station toward Royal Hotel, Myeongdong Cathedral, and Samil-daero, and ambulances will be stationed in front of the Royal Hotel and Hana Building.

Kim Gil-sung, mayor of Jung-gu, Seoul, said, "We will meticulously examine every alley in Myeong-dong and do our utmost for thorough crowd control," adding, "We ask visitors to actively cooperate with the instructions of on-site personnel."
 
(Photo provided by Seoul's Jung-gu office, Yonhap News)